


Repudiation

by Lazare_syn



Series: Denial [2]
Category: League of Legends RPF
Genre: Angst, Crushes, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Same story different POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 08:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16301405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lazare_syn/pseuds/Lazare_syn
Summary: Meiko probably likes Deft. Deft might not like Meiko.'Denial', but from Meiko's POV.





	Repudiation

**Author's Note:**

> Deft and Meiko hugged after KT and EDG played each other at Worlds so I'm back at it again with my Deiko bullshit.

Tian Ye likes to be around Hyukkyu.

It’s hard to explain, really, and Tian Ye has spilled a lot of metaphorical ink trying to do so to both himself and others, but Hyukkyu just exudes this...aura that made you want to be near him. To be in his presence. To make him notice you.

Even if noticing usually comes in the form of bugging him half to death.

Tian Ye’s not an idiot. He knows about Seungbin and Hyukkyu, and how Seungbin also used to poke and prod at Hyukkyu during every waking moment. He suspects that there was something more to their dynamic than just being teammates that were really into skinship, though.

He wonders if Hyukkyu has also noticed that he and Tian Ye are basically repeating history. He wonders how it makes Hyukkyu feel, sometimes. But Tian Ye can’t stop himself.

“Hyukkyu, pay attention to me!”

“Hyukkyu, stop looking at your phone and come with me!”

“Hyukkyu, let me sit on your lap!”

Hyukkyu usually resists at first, but eventually he’ll let out a soft sigh of resignation and give in to whatever Tian Ye’s demands are this time. So he can’t be that against it.

At least, that’s what Tian Ye thought.

Tian Ye falling asleep in Hyukkyu’s stall is actually an accident, though. He’s so tired after the game that he collapses into the first free space he sees. When Hyukkyu jostles him awake, Tian Ye’s foggy mind tells him to prioritize one thing and one thing only: stay there so he can keep on sleeping.

Well, maybe it also provides a secondary goal of annoying Hyukkyu, but that goal is always there.

Tian Ye knows that lots of people, from teammates to casters to fans, like to joke about his and Hyukkyu’s bond as being something more than just the connection between a support and his AD carry. He tries not to let it affect his behaviour, his perception of their relationship.

He’s not sure he succeeds.

Here’s the thing: Hyukkyu is very cute.

Tian Ye knows that he’s considered quite cute as well, if some of the fanmail he gets is any indication, but Hyukkyu...he’s on a whole nother level of good-looking.

Hyukkyu’s male fans, including Seungbin and some foreign AD carry that Hyukkyu met at Worlds, are almost as big a running joke as Hyukkyu’s resemblance to an alpaca. Tian Ye himself has joined Ming Kai and Tong Yang many times in teasing Hyukkyu about his many pro admirers.

But now, he’s not sure if he likes those jokes anymore. Especially not if they’re true.

He deals with these discomfiting revelations the healthiest way he knows how. That is to say, he clings to Hyukkyu more than ever. If he even gets the slightest hint that Hyukkyu might be thinking about Seungbin or Rekkles, he’ll make sure to break that train of thought by grabbing Hyukkyu’s arm or poking him in the face.

He’s not sure if Hyukkyu notices him ramping up his demands for attention. Hyukkyu does start looking more haggard than ever, especially after Tian Ye catches him and Wonseok whispering to each other in Korean about something, but Tian Ye dismisses it as a coincidence.

Ming Kai draws him aside one day, having finally pulled himself away from League for a moment in order to concern himself with the actual lives of his teammates.

“Tian Ye, are you doing okay?” he asks, gazing at Tian Ye with dark, concerned eyes. Tian Ye blinks.

“Yeah. I’m doing great,” he replies. It doesn’t feel like a lie, exactly. “Why are you asking me this?”

“I’ve just noticed that you and Hyukkyu seem to be...more distant lately,” Ming Kai says. “I was wondering if you two had an argument or something.”

Tian Ye isn’t sure how to respond to that. Hadn’t he been making sure that he and Hyukkyu stayed closer together than ever? Why would Ming Kai come to the opposite conclusion?

“No, we’re fine,” is all he says, confused but unwilling to show it.

Ming Kai smiles at him. “That’s good. Now get back to practicing your skillshots. You missed way too many of them last week.”

Tian Ye sticks his tongue out at Ming Kai as he walks back to his desk. The seed of worry that Ming Kai’s words had planted within him quickly dissipates. Ming Kai sucks at human interaction anyway, he tells himself. He probably just misread the atmosphere.

Then Hyukkyu starts actively avoiding him.

When Tian Ye tries to get Hyukkyu to get lunch with him, he finds out Hyukkyu has already gone out to go eat with other friends.

The next day, when pictures of Hyukkyu hanging out with Seungbin and Cheonju surface on the internet, Tian Ye burns with jealousy.

He tries to deal with his feelings the way he always has, but it’s becoming more and more obvious that Hyukkyu doesn’t want Tian Ye near him. He flinches away from Tian Ye’s hugs and grabs, and ignores his spirited attempts at starting a conversation. To an outside observer, this wouldn’t seem very unusual, but Tian Ye can tell.

So can the rest of the team. Ming Kai asks him what’s wrong again. Tong Yang shakes his head and sighs whenever he sees Hyukkyu and Tian Ye in the same room together. Wonseok keeps giving him pitying looks.

And Tian Ye...Tian Ye feels himself falling faster than ever. Despite Hyukkyu’s cold treatment of him, he’s still as pretty as ever. Tian Ye’s heart still beats faster everytime Hyukkyu is close to him, even though he knows Hyukkyu will move away from his just as quickly. But everything he does to try and break the barrier that’s suddenly come between them only seems to push Hyukkyu further away.

Eventually, Tian Ye gets so desperate he does the one thing he promised himself never to do: he goes to Tong Yang for relationship advice. The catalyst is Hyukkyu telling the team he won’t be at dinner tonight because he’ll be hanging out with two more previous teammates of his. 

“So, you asked me to come to your room why?” Tong Yang drawls as he closes the door behind him and Tian Ye.

“I don’t know who else to ask about this. Wonseok’s Chinese and my Korean aren’t good enough for this kind of conversation, Ming Kai has never had a normal human relationship before in his life…”

“And Hyukkyu is off the table for reasons other than the language barrier, I’m guessing.” Tong Yang says with a smirk. Tian Ye sighs and nods.

“Well, you’ve come to the right place. Tell big brother all about your troubles with our darling ADC,” Tong Yang says in a sing-song voice.

Tian Ye is starting to regret this already, but he presses on. “I think I...like Hyukkyu. As more than a friend. More than a teammate.”

“I knew it,” Tong Yang says with a grin. “Ming Kai owes me 100 yuan.”

“You two bet on this?”

“Yup! Ming Kai insisted that there was no way, the poor oblivious bastard...”

Tian Ye groans. “Well, that’s great for you, but what do I do? You’ve seen how he’s been avoiding me lately. Does he suspect how I feel or something?”

Tong Yang’s expression turns serious. “It’s definitely a possibility. He’s had some crappy relationships in the past, from what I can tell. Maybe he’s not ready for another relationship. The way I see it, you have two options. You could confess your feelings anyway and hope things go well…” Tian Ye shakes his head vehemently at that. “That’s what I suspected. Or, you could convince him that you don’t actually like him that way, so he’ll at least tolerate your presence again.”

Tian Ye thinks it over. “Well, I’d rather have him not practically run away every time I see him. And I’m sure he doesn’t like me back, so there’s no point in confessing...But should I really lie to him about my feelings like that?”

“Why not? Like you said, the likelihood of Hyukkyu returning your feelings for him seem...slim. This way you can at least be friends with him again.”

Tian Ye sighs. He really does miss Hyukkyu. “Alright, I’ll do it.”

Tong Yang smiles sadly at the pitiful look on Tian Ye’s face. “You poor dear.” He pulls Tian Ye into a hug. “I’m sorry your first crush turned out to be one-sided.” 

“Thanks, bro.” Tian Ye mutters against Tong Yang’s chest. He’s only being a little sarcastic.

Despite his declaration to Tong Yang, Tian Ye puts off telling (lying to) Hyukkyu about his totally platonic feelings for him. He still feels uneasy about misleading Hyukkyu about his true feelings. Something about it just seems skeevy, like he’s luring Hyukkyu back into their friendship under false pretenses. Also, some small part of him still clings to the hope that Hyukkyu really does love him back, and Tian Ye doesn’t want to ruin his chances with Hyukkyu in the unlikely event that he does reciprocate Tian Ye’s feelings for him.

Tian Ye continues to chase Hyukkyu, but half-heartedly. Hyukkyu continues to avoid him.

Until one night.

“Can we talk?” Hyukkyu asks him in English as he’s brushing his teeth. Tian Ye stares at him owlishly, wondering why Hyukkyu is initiating conversation with him for the first time in so long. That tiny, hopeful part of him whispers that maybe Hyukkyu is going to confess his feelings for him.

“...Okay,” Tian Ye eventually says in Chinese. A but of excess toothpaste dribbles from his toothbrush onto the floor. “After I brush my teeth, though.”

“Fine,” Hyukkyu says, and goes to wait in Tian Ye’s bedroom.

Tian Ye’s heart is in his throat the entire time. His mind races through countless scenarios. Has Hyukkyu come to confront him over something? Is he leaving the team? Is he here to tell Tian Ye that he hates him and never wants to see him again? Is he dying of a terminal illness?

Tian Ye’s teeth probably receive the worst brushing they’ve ever had that night, but he’s too preoccupied with his panicked thoughts about Hyukkyu being in the next room to care. He spits and rinses his mouth, making himself look at least halfway presentable and not a nervous wreck as he steps out to have his talk with Hyukkyu.

“What is it?” His voice miraculously doesn’t shake.

Hyukkyu looks almost as nervous as he feels. “Do you...love me?” He asks in strangled Chinese.

Time comes to a halt. Tian Ye stands there frozen, unable to move, unable to speak. So Hyukkyu knows now. He found out, and now he’s here to reject Tian Ye. To tell him how disgusting he finds him and to never talk to him again. It’s his worst fear coming to life right in front of him.

“Because...if you do...I don’t mind but I don’t-”

“No,” Tian Ye suddenly says, so loudly and confidently it surprises himself. “I don’t like you.”

Hyukkyu blinks, obviously not expecting that answer from him. “You don’t?”

“Of course not,” Tian Ye says coldly. He feels nothing. He feels numb. Nothing that’s going on matters anymore. “You’re just a teammate to me.”

Hyukkyu stammers something out and quickly heads out. Tian Ye is barely conscious of him leaving. He continues to stand there for minutes, hours maybe, until Tong Yang quietly slips into his room.

“I saw Hyukkyu run straight from your room to his and slam the door. What happened?” He asks, voice unusually gentle. Tian Ye doesn’t reply, but Tong Yang takes one look at his face and pulls him into another hug.

“I’m sorry, Tian Ye. I’m sorry you had to say those things to him. But it’ll be for the best in the end. You’ll see.”

Tian Ye just buries his face in Tong Yang’s chest, squeezing his eyes shut so he doesn’t cry all over Tong Yang’s shirt. He knows Tong Yang is right, but right now he can’t see a thing.

Tong Yang holds him for a long time.

Tian Ye doesn’t go to practice the next day.


End file.
